Self-starter for engines.



E. A. FORD.

SELF STARTER FOR ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.18.19H.

Patented 0011.19, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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E. A. FORD. SELF STARTER FOR ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 18. I911.

. 1,157,211. Patented Oct. 19, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

BOLUMBIA PLANW C0. "Mum". D- C.

I and onewhich may be readily controlled EUGENE A. roan, or'uxsninen,ivmssncn-usnrrs.

snnr-s'rnnrnnron ENGINES.

T 0 all whom time?) concern: 7

Be it known/that I, EUGENE A. FORD, .of

Ux'bridge, Worcester county, Massachusetts,

have invented new and useful Improvements in self Startersrfor Engines,which inven-- tion isfully setforth in the following speci- A ,fication.w C

My invention is designed especially as a self-starting means for explosve engines in use on automoblles,,motor-boats and other self-propelledveh cles, but may obviously .be;used for starting stationary engines.

j further object of the invention is to f .Generally, my objects are toprovide an eflicient andreliable self-starter of compact, durable andrelatively simple construction,

by anoperator and be inexpensivelya pplied to engines already in use.

provide a self-starter which will act as a fly-wheel and which mayreadily be mounted on engine shafts in the place now occupied by theusual fly-wheel.

The invention will be better understood byireference to the accompanyingdrawings,

which illustrate one expressionof the inventiveidea, and wherein,

, drawings herein is shown as passing through a part 9 of any suitableframe-work. In stead of fly-wheels such as. commonly em- Figure 1:is avertlcal sectional view on line 11 of F ig. 3; Fig. 2 is a sectionaldetail on line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3"is a vertical section on line 3-3 ofFig.1; and Fig.

4.'is a horizontal section on line of Fig.1. I

8 is the crank-shaft or other suitable shaft of an explosive or internalcombustion engine, adapted to be driven by said engine,

or when rotated by other power. to actuate thepistons of the engineand'thereby start the'engine Said shaftjmay be supported in bearings inany of the usual ways and in the ployed, I propose to substitute a'fiywheel comprising in its construction means for starting the engine.

. 10 is a fly-wheel keyed to shaftsand hole .low toiform a chamberorreservoir 11 for storing motive 'fluid (preferably air) under pressurepumped into said chamber through supply passages 12, 12, each'having acheck- 41 valve 13 atitsinner end. The passages 12, 12,. lead to twopumps, respectively, each I pumpccompris'ing a cylinder 14 having an 'valve 16 .at the inner endof an inlet-passage outlet valve 15, a pistonhaving an intake- Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Oct. 19,1915.

Application filed. December 18,1911. Serial iv'ofe'eeseo.

18 through the piston, and afpin 19 rotatably engaging a socketiin theouter end of thepiston. The pins19, 19, are carried by the pitmen. 20,21,:respectively, said pitmen being, actuated by eccentrics 22,23engaging (with interposed bearing balls) circular openings in the pitmenrespectively. The

jeccentrics are fixed and for this purpose may "Ib e secured to part 9of the frame-work as-by' pins or rods shown in dotted lines in Fig. .3..The'fiy-wheel 10 alsozcomprises inits' con structionfa fluid pressurenon combustion motor. A ring 24 is secured'to side wall 25 of thechamber 11, and an annulus 015' ring 26 is secured to said ring 24. Asthus made upthe'fly wheel presents a recess in itslefthand side, withthepumps located in said recess, and a peripheral groove (about the r ng24) in which there is positioned a ring 27, adapted to rotate" with thefiy-wheel as a part thereof whenthe shaft 8 is being driven bythe-engine, but in starting the engine, to remain fixed as the abutmentor stationary part of the fluid-pressure motor against. which the motivefluid expandsin imparting'movement to the. fiy-wheel' and shaft.

WVith ring 27 rotating with the fly-wheel, as

ing from each recess 30 gives atmospheric pressure. behind each latch.But with the ring 27 acting'as an abutment, and theex- ,pansion of themotive fluid tending to rotate it in a direction the reverse the arrow,Fig. 1,,such ringis prevented from'so rotating by any'suitable means,such as the pawl 32, pivoted to a suitable part of the frame-work, andengaging one of a series of notches 33 in the periphery'of the ring.

The periphery'of the ring 24 is recessed 0r cut-away to form between itsouter surface andthe inner closely fitting surface of the ring 27 twooppositely positioned approxi- .mately quarter-circleor arc-shaped expansion-chambers 34, 35,'each having an exhaust I port 36 leading to theatmospherepand an inlet-port 37 communicating with 'a supply conduit 38leading into the motive-fluid storage reservoir-11. Conduits 38' are nor1 mally closed by spring-actuated valves 39,

p 39, Whose valve-rods are connected'to a ring 2 p of anoperator, (asthe'driver "of an automo- 'bile) by means of a hand or foot lever,

; vvhereby the ring 40 may be shifted to the 40 keyed on shaft 8 torotate'therewithbut" free to move longitudinally thereon. I

a 41 and 42 are the arms of the forked end of a shifter-lever havinginwardly projecting studs engaging a peripheral groove on ring 40.1 Saidshifter-lever may beunderoontrol left, Fig. 4, and thereby open thevalves 39,

"with recesses 43. I

' 39. In the inner face of said ring 27 there is provideda plurality ofrecesses 43, and eight equi-distant recesses are hereinshown.

In each recess there'is secured an abutment 44 Which; is pressed towardring 24 a spring 45; i Preferably said abutments zare xpivoted inrecesses 46 'WlliQh eommunicate Q'The operation of the device isasifollovvsz A suitable supply of air undera predeters mined pressure(maintained by any suitable-z exhaust valve, not shown) having beenstored in'reservoirlll duringthe running of the ,engine,and it beingdesired-to again start the same, the operator opens valves 39 by slidingring or sleeve 40 longitudinally "of,

."shaft 8, -and accordi g y compre'ssed fair passesthrough conduits 38into expansion chambers .34 and 35. The tendency of the air, 'acting'onabutments 44,'is'to rotate the; ring 27 in a counterclockwisedirect1on,but

such va movement is prevented. byepavvl 32; accordingly, the ring 27 ismaintained stationary, and the compressed air, acting on the inclinedWalls-47 of expansion chambers 34 and 35, rotates ring'24'and theassociated parts, in a clockwise" direction. 7 The pressure in chambers34' and 35 is exhausted When ports 36 pass theabutments on which thecompressed air is acting. The operator p rmits thecompressed air to passinto chambers 34, and 35 until the engine is'start- V led-' wher'euponhe releases ring 40 and the tions of the usual fly-Wheel.

By referring to'ITigQ 1, it Willbe' observedthatithe two recesses 43 inthe'ring 27,

which are shown asbeing engaged by plungers' 28, have cut-awayv portions28 '-asso-'- ciated therewith. "The plungers-28 cannot enter any of theother recesses 43,.because sai'd rec'esses do not have these ciitiawaypor- -tions'." -When, therefore',.ring 24 is revolved under theinfluence of the compressed air, i the plunger s ;2 8 willfpass mderthe;abutments in recesses -43,' 1vvh ieh have' no cut chamber tosaidfluidpressure motor; i

The combination itha shaft {to be? dr ven'by the engine and connected tothe I driven .by oth'er power to'actuate engine Fig. 1, they WillenterIthe cut-away poraway portions, but assoon asthe plungers reach, forexample the posltlon shown in V tions 2S.;. Then, by reasonofthisjengagement,'ring 27 will participate in therotation of ring '24,, 7Rings 24 and 27 are disengaged 1 when compressed air is admitted tochambers 34 and 35, vasthe air 'forcesth'e plungers 28 inwardly againsttheir. springs 29,thus re-- moving saidfplt'lng ers from the out-awayportions 28 of rwessas im ,twhipchithey 1 r0jected,

[While 'theparticiilar spressionbr the ityenti'veidea hereinillustr'atedhas been de -u scribed in considerable detail, it is" to beunderstoodthat the invention is not limited to claimsihereto"appended; x O

"What is 'cl'afimedfis LTIn anengine starterfithie combination gine,said means comprising a. rotatable res;

v thefparti'cular structure shown the limitsof the inven'tionare'indicated inthe with shaft ad 'apted to be' driven by the engine andconnected to the pistons th'ereof, and; means other; than the enginefor; rotatns a d ha ndf h r' vst rt g" he e '90 ervoiror chamber for thefstorage ofgfiuid I latter and rotating therewith, a fluid exp anfiuidunder pressure from the reservoirlorl' pistons thereof, of a fly ivhe'elembodying' in 7 'its construction a'sourceof fiuid' supply and fluidpressure-motoradapted'to rotate said shaft to start the engine, andmeansunder control of an operator for supplying motive fluid to saidmotor from said source of fluid supply,

3. Thecombination vith a shaft to be driven by the'engineand connectedto the pistons thereof, of-a'fly-Wheel embodying in' its construction asource of fluidsupplyfand means driven by said fluid for actuating saidf shaft to startthe engine.

"under pressure, pumping: means for pump- I ing fluid into saidreservoir carried by" the 'sion non-combustion'm'otor arranged With itsdriven part to rotate said shaft, means under control of anoperatorforadmitting 4; A*fiyheel embodying inlits construotion astorage chamber or receptacle-for motive flui'd'un'der pressure, amoving element, f

and means forl'admitting' fluid underlpres sure from said chamberorreceptacle to said moving element. p V 7 p v V '5; A fly-Wheel embody ng1n itsco'nstruc 'tion a storage chamber or receptacle for mo-l tivefluid under pressure, a fiuid'fpressure non-combustion motor, andmeansfor voir to said motor;

1 '6, The combination ntama adto 325 1nitting fluid under pressure fromsaid reser' pi be driven bykan explosiveenginejand'vvhen reservoir forfluidunder pressure, pumping sure motor, and means under control of anoperator for admittlng fluid from said cham means actuated upon"rotation-of the wheel for charging said chamber with fluid underpressure, and a non-combustion flu d-prestu'ate the motor. I v 7.Incombination, a shaft, a wheel mounted thereon, a reservolr carried bysaid wheel,

her" or reservoir to said motor to thereby-acmeans automaticallysupplying fluid under pressure to said reservo1r,- a fiuid pressure'non-combustion motor, andmeans under control of the operatorrforadmitting: fluid to said motor from saidi'reservoir.

8. In combination, a shaft,a wheeliniounted thereon, a reservoir carriedby said wheel, means operated by said-shaft automatically supplyingfluidj under pressure to said" reservolr, a fluid-pressure'non-c'ombustlon mostor, and means under control of the operator foradmitting fluid to'said motor from said reservoir.

9. In combination, a shaft, a fluid-pressure non-combustion motormounted thereon and comprising in its construction a member keyed tosaid shaft and rotatable therewith, a second member forming with theother member a pressure chamber, means admitting fluid under pressure tosaid chamber, an exhaustport associated with said chamber and anabutment which is stationary when fluid under pressure is admitted tosaid chamber and which rotates with said member when the pressure insaid chamber is exhausted.

10. In combination, a shaft, a wheel on said shaft comprising in itsconstruction a reservoir and a member keyed to said shaft and rotatabletherewith, a second member forming with the other member a pressurechamber, means admitting fluid under pressure from said reservoir tosaid chamber, an I v exhaust port associated with said chamber,

and an abutmentwhich is stationary when fluid under pressure is admittedto said chamber and which rotates with said reserchamber is exhausted. c

11. In combination, a shaft, a wheel on said shaft comprising'in itsconstruction a reservoir and a member keyed to said shaft and rotatabletherewith, a second member forming with the other member a pressurehaust port associated with said chamber, and

chamber, means under the control of the operator admitting fluid under;pressurefrom said reservoir to said chamber, an exanabutment whichis'stati'onary when fluid under pressure is admitted to said chamber andwhich rotateswithsaid reservoir and and provided with a cut-away'portiom'a ro- -t'atable ring-maintained stationary'untll said shaft isrotated and associated with said member and p'rovidedwith abutmentswhich.

engage said cut-awayportion, means admit- 'ting fluid vundergpressureto'said cut-away portion and anexhaustport associated With said cut-awayportion.

1.8. In combination, a'shaft, a'fluld-pres sure non-combustion mo tormounted thereon and comprising in its construction a member keyed tosaid shaft and rotatable therewith" provided with a cut-away portion, a

ring associated with said member and provided with abutments whichengage said cutaway portion, means admitting'fluid under pressure tosaid cut-away portion and an. exhaust port associated wlth said cut-awayportion, said ring being stationary when fluid under presure is admittedto said cutaway portion and rotatable with said member when the pressurein said cut-away portion is exhausted. I v

14. In combinatiom'a shaft, a wheel on saidshaft comprising in. itsconstruction a reservoir and a member keyed to said shaft and rotatabletherewith, a ring associated with said member, an abutment carriedthereby, said ring, member and abutment inclosing a pressure chamber,means admitting fluid under pressure to said chamber and an exhaust portassociated with said chamber, said ring being stationary when fluidunder pressure is admitted to saidchamber and rotating with said memberwhen the pressure in said chamber is exhausted.

15. In combination, a shaft, a wheel on said shaftc'omprising in itsconstruction a reservoir and a member-keyed to said shaft and, rotatabletherewith, means automatically supplying fluid jlll'ldGPPlBSSUIG to saidreservoir, a ring associated with said member, an abutment carriedthereby, said ring, member and abutment inclosing a pressure chamber,means admitting fluid under pressure to said chamber, and an exhaustport associatedwith said chamber, said ring being stationary when fluidunder pressure is admitted to said chamber and rotating with said memberwhen the pressure in said chamber is exhausted.

16. In combination, a shaft, a wheel on i said shaft comprising in itsconstruction a reservoir and a member xeyed to said shaft.

and rotatable therewith, means operated by said shaft and automaticallysupplying'fluid under pressure tosaid reservoir, a ringassomentinclosing a pressure chamber, means admitting fluid underpressure to said chamher and an exhaust portfassociated-with saidchamber, said.- ring being stationary, When' fluid under. pressure isadmitted to. said chamber and rotating withsaid; nie'mber' When'thpressure-in :said hamber-isj e'xhausted.

' 1 7.In combination; a shaft; Wheellon said shaft comprisingin' itsconstruction a reservoirw an'da memberJkeyedtO said shaft and rotatabletherewith; a ring associated.

1 Wituesses' jcharhber; 1 ,;I1'1", testimony v "whereof I have"signed/this .FR D STORY,, V I C ARLESE. COOK.

specification .inth presence o f t wo subscrib I,

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